Dear vBulletin Forum Community - vBSEO is Suspending Operations

I can only hope the final reputation of the company, if it closes for good, is that it treated customers fairly and transparently in the end. This is the start of that commitment.

 

Thank you. If we "let it go", I want to do so by failing gracefully, fairly and transparently to our still active customers.

While in the company, Juan was reluctant to pursue it. After I left, most of his activities involved non-related projects to vBSEO, with vBSEO resources.

Recognizing failing opportunities is ok, even if failing to adapt.

Abandonment is not acceptable. How long does it take to post an announcement to customers? That is what is so upsetting at this point.

If I didn't make this announcement, customers would still be wondering what was happening (and a few purchasing).

The market conditions have become an all to convenience excuse for disappearing without a trace from vbseo.com.

Open source is one of the options for sure. TBD.

Thank you so much for your support and advice. I do appreciate it, and you are right on the mark in many ways.

 

Brian was a valued member of the team, who made tremendous contributions. Overall, we had a GREAT team. Everyone worked hard. They were not just doing support. They were involved with stuff behind the scenes too, including discussing the product features, testing, translating, and coordinating releases, etc. Typically the guys that you saw more often were the ones that were paid for the service. We have varying levels from part-time to full hours. At times, everyone went above and beyond what they earned with us. I'll always be thankful for the teams' contributions.

 

The minimum we can achieve here is ensuring transparency and communicating everything as we close things out. Open source is an option.

 

Just read @Joe Ward thread regarding everything. In the thread he mentions Ilia received a private email in which he admits to the status of vBSEO and the outcome of said company will be up to both co-founders. So @ILIA-VBSEO has he ceased communications or is he trying to get things settled with the company and you?

 

Yes, we realize many people have already gone to other platforms like xenForo. For them, this issue is not that big a deal.

I'm here on behalf of our current active customers. This is your chance to know what's going on and to participate in the discussion as we try to sort things out.

 

Joey, normally you assess a situation before you start fitting solutions to it.

Options: Open source, sale to new team or create a partnership, redirect all remaining funds (if any) to new support team, attempt a pivot, close out with full transparency, separate different software projects to deal with individually, other.

 

I'm the original co-founder and co-owner. I always owned 50% of the company though I was not active in the business operations since 2009.

 

He indicated "his" intentions as though I had no say in the matter. This was only sent in response to Joe creating the discussions here at Admin Talk, not before. The screenshot of the message is posted in my open letter.

Nothing was being communicated prior.

Since late 2012 we have been discussing an acquisition by a "Chicago based investor" through a lawyer (representing the purchasing party). We did not communicate directly. The lawyer relayed positions back and forth, with weeks of delay on his part, between responses.

I was in agreement to accept an acquisition after seeing company status, financials, doing a valuation, and seeing the offer. He wouldn't turn over anything and killed the deal.

 

Lol... why make a public thing out of a private/personal dispute with your brother?

To me, it just looks like you are unhappy with how your brother is doing things and you are trying to rally a bunch of third parties to somehow tell him to put you in control. hah

Obviously you and your brother have issues... if you are unhappy with how he's doing things, and you truly think you can do better, just go start your own company and retain 100% of it.

Personally, I never saw a need for vBSEO (I would not have run it even if it was free), so if they cease to operate, well... doesn't change much of anything for site owners at the end of the day.

 

You were the big fish we could never get! You escaped us. Then you defected to xenForo and killed the dream!

Listen. If you suggest I'm unhappy with my brother, absolutely right, as should be all of our customers. I'm surprised that anyone would consider that a secret or debatable point. Have a look at vbseo.com Shawn.

As I would say to any others who question my motives or call this a brother/sister slap fight:

It's a business. Customers were in the dark. Now they are not, and I wasn't getting any cooperation any other way.

Remember that what I'm trying to be "put in control" of is a company near flat line.

 

Our? What makes you think that I'm your employee?

It's because I'm too busy handling the huge workload in the back-end (ticketing system), so that expending my valuable time arguing with trolls (check the last posts - you'll see what I'm talking about) is not something to even consider.

And yes, I have zero posts in this forum. And yes, I just came here to post this up, just like you did yesterday.


Have you all a nice day!

 

What a joke. Can't believe I ever paid for an upgrade.

I don't think there's anything wrong with what Ilia is doing. Maybe it wasn't the best way but why shouldn't this be public?

I bet vbseo is still milking as many sales as possible with their $149 pricetag before making any announcements on the site. Who wouldn't? At least have the decency to pass it on to someone who cares. I'm even seeing complaints from people who paid for installation months ago that haven't been acknowledged. That's [****][****][****][****]ing disgusting.

 

Honestly, I do not care about your feud with your bother. Or why it is the way it is at vBSEO. I paid for a product and never got it.

Since you're half owner, does that mean you're accepting responsibility and will be offering refunds proactively now?

 

Maybe you are not my employee. When was the last time you were paid?

If you are paid, you are paid by my company as either an employee or contractor, FYI.

I don't have time for excuses, Andres. Many of the requests on vbseo.com are asking why their tickets are going unanswered.

I'm going to remind you that you are posting this explanation in a community filled with vBSEO customers, many feeling abandoned, and experienced admins who can quickly click "What's New" at vbseo.com to see the state of things, including how many report that nobody is answering their tickets.

Meanwhile, it's a month between posts on vbseo.com for you.



That's not acceptable. If you are not being paid, that would explain you not showing up. If you are being paid, then please get to work.

There is something in the forum world known as moderation. You can delete posts, and ban user accounts who repeatedly break the rules.

I wish your boss had given you more direction and support. You have potential.

 

Absolutely. My #1 goal is to make sure customers know what is happening. If this has to be the way, so be it. Juan had lots of time throughout the years to cooperate with me. He also failed to communicate with clients and that's entirely his own decision.

I wouldn't. That's unethical. If he moved on, time to fess up. Some orders are not even getting fulfilled after payment.

Agree.

Yes, it's true. That is why I'm here now.

 

You are a customer of Crawlability Inc. If I am able to get access to the company accounts, if there is money available, your refund will be processed.

For now, if you have not received the product, you can file a dispute with Paypal or 2CO and they will eventually return your money to you, hopefully expediently.

I am not responsible for operations after my departure. I am trying to intervene here.

 

So you have nothing to do with the company, while representing yourself as part of the company?

Yeah this is about what I've come to expect out of vBSEO/Crawlability.

 

Do not answered any ticket you're a liar.

 

I know this thread is getting very long so I'll excuse you if you didn't read every post.

I'm a co-owner of Crawlability Inc. I was removed from my executive role as VP in 2009.

The company was being abandoned. My co-founder and current CEO, Juan Muriente, notified me privately the company was failing and he intended to end it.

Since the payment page is open, customers are requesting support and not getting it, and he did not make any attempt to announce it, I am intervening and communicating the status to the community.

I know that you, and many others, have come to expect dissatisfaction from the company and that's why I am here. I understand your frustration. Had I not made these announcements, you would have no clear idea what was the official status of the company beyond your observations and speculations, most of which would probably be very accurate.

Andres said above he's working hard on tickets, I would presume that your refund or order completion ticket would have been taken care of by now.

If they don't answer you (as I suspect), my best suggestion at this stage is for you to file a dispute with your Payment processor, either PayPal or 2CO.